Campaigners objecting to the East Reading Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) Scheme were hailing a victory as the controversial scheme was rejected by Wokingham Borough Council.

The East Reading MRT, devised by Reading Borough Council (RBC) to help ease one of the town's worst bottle necks, is a dedicated bus and cycle road from Napier Road in Reading, Berkshire to Thames Valley Business Park.

Although the Reading side of the plans were approved by Reading council on Wednesday, May 30, the scheme has stalled after Wokingham's planning committee rejected plans for the road to be built in the business park.

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The stretch of road from the Kennet Mouth to Thames Valley Park sits in the Bulmershe and Whitegates ward of the borough in Earley.

An extraordinary Wokingham planning meeting was held to discuss the plan on Monday, June 25 but members of the committee voted five to four against the scheme.

Activists from the Save our Ancient Riverside (SOAR) campaign group hailed the vote as a victory against the plan, which has suffered a substantial set back.

Why Wokingham refused the plan

Tim Holton, chairman of Wokingham's planning committee said: “The proposal, due to its height, scale and prominent location including its proximity to the River Thames and River Kennet, would be harmful to the landscape character of the area including its riparian appearance.

"This would be contrary to policies CP1, CP3 and CP11 of the Core Strategy.”

What SOAR campaigners say about the decision

"Finally common sense and professionalism have prevailed.

"Wokingham council's planning committee have displayed a level of thorough analysis that puts to shame the ill-disciplined manner with which Reading Borough Council recently disregarded multiple local and national planning policies by approving their own scheme in what appeared to be a preconceived whipped decision.

"By contrast Wokingham council (WBC) have done their job properly.

"They should be applauded for having applied a vigorous calibre of scrutinising objective debate, and for having properly considered and balanced any perception of supposed benefits against the huge losses the scheme would have certainly incurred.

"This is a major victory for the campaign and for everyone who has supported the effort to turn around this decision.

The East Reading MRT would begin at Thames Valley Park and cross over the Kennet Mouth. Credit: Reading Borough Council

"We thank all those who spoke so eloquently at the meeting and we're delighted that this decision now definitively changes the nature of the conversation surrounding the absurd proposal that is the MRT.

"Councillor Andy Croy hit the nail on the head when he called out the scheme for its total misnomer: it's not a Mass Rapid Transit and has none of such a scheme's characteristics.

"An MRT is typically a light railway moving large volumes of people. This scheme provides no evidence of either.

"This significant decision sends a clear message to Reading council that they cannot arrogantly expect to ride roughshod over the very planning policies that they otherwise enforce, and expect to get away with it.

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"The people have spoken, WBC have listened and now it's time for Reading council to do the same.

"Rather than taking the application to appeal, that public money can be far better spent on investigating and promoting schemes that may actually make a difference to the traffic and at the same time preserving those special and increasingly rare green spaces around our urban centres.

"It's time for RBC to relegate the MRT to the past and begin looking to the future; there are better, more progressive, cost-effective and environmentally friendly alternatives for consideration and development."

Reading's planning and roads boss reacts

Cllr Tony Page, Reading's lead councillor for transport, said: "Reading Borough Council is hugely disappointed by Wokingham’s planning committee’s decision to refuse permission for a public transport, cycling and pedestrian route between Wokingham and Reading town centre.

"The principle aim of the scheme is to offer people travelling between Wokingham and Reading a new sustainable travel option which would help to manage future demands on Reading’s road network, including congestion and air pollution.

"These demands will only increase in the future with major housing developments planned in Wokingham borough and development in Reading.

"Many commuter journeys into Reading begin outside of the borough in Wokingham, but the impact is largely felt in Reading.

"We are additionally disappointed as the scheme has been substantially modified following concerns raised by Wokingham planners at an early stage.

"These include major changes to the design of the scheme to lessen the visual impact, and improvements to environmental elements which prompted the Environment Agency to remove its own objections to the scheme.

What opposition councillors say

Green Cllr Rob White said he was 'delighted' the scheme had been rejected.

Fellow Green Cllr Brenda McGonigle added: "I don't see how Reading could go ahead without Wokingham's permission. They'll either have to reconsider it or scrap the sheme altogether.

"I'm delighted. We have been taking this on for three years, at that meeting we saw democracy in action."

What next?

Reading council will consider its options, taking into account the possible impact of costs and delays.